Rose Park Neighborhood Association

The Rose Park Neighborhood Association protects and promote the interests of a population of 10,000 residents and small business owners. The focus of our work centers on health and wellness, street safety and the revitalization of neglected spaces.

Rose Park Neighborhood Association began ArtWorksLBC in 2017 as a community benefit project to engage individuals, youth and families, and partnering organizations in arts healing and wellness, neighborhood revitalization, and community connection.

The "Friendship Corner" project brought together residents, artists, business owners, nonprofit organizations and community volunteers to create, paint and mosaic a 50+ foot wall in a neglected space of the neighborhood. The result of this community collaboration can be seen on the corner of E7th Street and Dawson Avenue in Rose Park Neighborhood.

The "Hearts Across Long Beach," project provides essential workers with art wellness mosaic kits. Participating organizations include: St. Mary's Medical Center, The LGBTQ Center Seniors, Staff at Horace Mann, Burbank and Gompers Elementary School, Friends of the Library, and Mental Health America of Los Angeles.

ArtWorksLBC Director and Mosaic Artist along with local artists and residents engage in art projects that focus on building community to explore and discover with neighbors the positive change we can make when we work together building better neighborhoods and connecting communities.

Testimonials

Reflections from ArtWorksLBC Participants:

"My whole family has benefited from these community art workshops. There is great energy and a strong sense of community developed because of
sharing an experience of creating art and knowing it will be shared within the community. The focus is on Making Art with no preconceived bias. You don't feel pressure. It is process over product and Dawn allows You to be You. Community is created around the work process.
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"I am not creative, but what I love about the workshops is that they are extremely inclusive. They are simple in that anyone can come to the table and create art. What I like the most is the conversations that occur around the table with others. I have met new people every time."

"I don't have a green thumb for art, but I am appreciative of talent and feel art, especially community art, is part of a healthy neighborhood. It beautifies, uplifts, and starts conversations within the community."

"I am not good at art, and I'm not comfortable creating. The ArtWorksLBC events are welcoming and are a safe space to create."

"I experience the Idea because I'm part of that process. Expression comes through planning and process. It feels like everyone is scurrying around at the beginning, then there is a period of concentration, collective understanding and collaboration without explicit or implicit bias."

"A neighborhood is about how great people feel."

"I most appreciated the guerilla banner art project because we had only the inkling of a vision, but lots of voices to hear and collaborate with. There was spontaneous brainstorming, and everyone had something--a skill, an idea, a helping hand--to contribute. It was magical and the results were very pleasing!"